1
00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:04,980
All right, if you got a Bible, get to Genesis 48. We're going to just keep rolling.

2
00:00:06,879 --> 00:00:08,120
Vote on Tuesday.

3
00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:15,920
Tuesday could be historical.

4
00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:21,140
Either way, right?

5
00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:28,000
One way or tether, as my granny used to say. One way or tether.

6
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:35,160
actually the title of my message is about that being a part of history you realize we're all a part of

7
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:44,300
history right because it is history is his story and uh his story and your life and mind and the impact

8
00:00:44,300 --> 00:00:52,000
that that has on the world around us good or bad um i think we see we see this in the scripture

9
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,980
and uh i just wonder sometimes what at the end of my life what is

10
00:00:57,980 --> 00:01:05,860
impact will my life have on the history, mainly of my family, right? I'm not on a world stage or a

11
00:01:05,860 --> 00:01:12,820
national stage or anything like that, but my family or my community, the places I've worked,

12
00:01:13,060 --> 00:01:23,619
what kind of history do I leave? Is it an example of Christ Jesus or not? It's pretty simple.

13
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:31,620
And so in the scriptures here, we saw Jacob last time as Joseph came to him and he brought his two boys,

14
00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,200
Manasseh and Ephraim, before their grandpa.

15
00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:41,600
And they were going to get grandpa's blessing.

16
00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:45,420
And what grandpa doesn't want to bless his grandkids?

17
00:01:45,660 --> 00:01:47,160
How many grandpas do I have in the room?

18
00:01:48,260 --> 00:01:48,520
Right?

19
00:01:49,900 --> 00:01:50,960
Let me tell you something.

20
00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,820
Any grandpa worthy salt, right?

21
00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:55,560
wants to bless these grandkids.

22
00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,500
I want my grandkids to be better than me.

23
00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:01,180
It's not going to be too hard.

24
00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:01,920
I'm just telling you.

25
00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,780
But that's what you want for your grandchildren.

26
00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:17,700
And so Joseph and Jacob have a moment also as father and son and the grand sons are there.

27
00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:23,120
And I remember, I remember sitting being 12, 13, 14, 15 years old,

28
00:02:23,380 --> 00:02:28,380
sitting by my grandpa and my dad listening to them talk about stuff like this.

29
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,160
Because they were both big time history buffs, and they both knew the Word of God.

30
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,800
And so I really had, as I looked back, I didn't realize it at the time, but it was a huge

31
00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,720
blessing for my brother and I, because we were provoked.

32
00:02:42,020 --> 00:02:45,280
Like, Rick and I'd look at each other like, what the world are these two talking about?

33
00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,840
We didn't have a clue what they were talking about.

34
00:02:48,420 --> 00:02:50,520
But they were talking about the things of the Lord.

35
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:55,120
and somehow that must have rubbed off, right?

36
00:02:55,460 --> 00:02:58,920
The old saying is true, right, the generation that comes after you,

37
00:02:58,980 --> 00:03:03,720
it's not so much what is taught, it's what is caught, right?

38
00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:05,360
What do they catch you doing?

39
00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:15,800
And so here Israel is looking at two of his grandsons,

40
00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,500
and he's going to bless them.

41
00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:49,820
And in verse 11 it says, and he said, please bring them to me, and I will bless them. Now, the eyes of Israel were dim with age so that he could not see. And then Joseph brought them near to him and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see your face. But in fact, God has also shown me your offspring. No doubt, Jacob's heart is just giddy.

42
00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:56,560
and that he gets to see Jacob's or Joseph's sons.

43
00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:05,160
And so I get that way when I get to see my son's son and my daughter's sons and daughter.

44
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,620
And actually, I've been FaceTiming my youngest grandson.

45
00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:11,380
He's a year old.

46
00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,420
His name's Fisher, Fisher Jason.

47
00:04:14,060 --> 00:04:15,840
And me and Fisher kind of hit it off.

48
00:04:16,420 --> 00:04:18,120
He's a boy after my own heart.

49
00:04:18,260 --> 00:04:19,560
He's wilder in a march hare.

50
00:04:19,820 --> 00:04:21,480
he is going to give his mother fits.

51
00:04:23,140 --> 00:04:25,260
And when I look at him on FaceTime,

52
00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,920
Fish sees Papa and he tries crawling through the phone to get to me.

53
00:04:30,020 --> 00:04:32,720
My heart just burst with joy.

54
00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:38,700
I think grandparents have a screw loose.

55
00:04:40,140 --> 00:04:40,640
Right?

56
00:04:40,940 --> 00:04:42,480
They just do something to you.

57
00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,200
It's just, it's bizarre.

58
00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:46,680
And, but,

59
00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,800
but this is all this, this, this, this,

60
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,979
This is the history of Israel that we're reading about here in Genesis.

61
00:04:54,940 --> 00:05:09,120
And being a part of history, this Israel, their existence as a people and their history all points to one thing or one person, right?

62
00:05:09,919 --> 00:05:10,940
It all points to Jesus.

63
00:05:11,780 --> 00:05:17,360
This nation and this people group that descended from Father Abraham.

64
00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:23,199
And so it's truly a fascinating history.

65
00:05:23,479 --> 00:05:29,939
And we're watching all these players in this real-life story of the past and the future.

66
00:05:29,939 --> 00:05:39,819
And it's absolutely just fascinating how God orchestrates things and how he uses all these men, these men of faith.

67
00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:41,780
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

68
00:05:42,180 --> 00:05:47,080
We almost take it for granted, but it's an incredible story.

69
00:05:47,080 --> 00:06:08,400
true story of how God works in people's lives and it's like we're seeing history played out in the Bible and the Bible is a

70
00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:13,460
and that's what they're really trying to bring back to the school is the history of the Bible.

71
00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:20,000
biblical history can't be refuted. They've been trying for thousands of years to refute biblical

72
00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:27,140
history. You can't refute it. And the kids will actually get a history credit if they get this passed.

73
00:06:27,140 --> 00:06:31,440
I believe they passed this law in Texas that they could bring the Bible back in school and

74
00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:43,480
teach it as a history book. And so my opinion, obviously, it's the most profound,

75
00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:52,600
accurate historical document we have. And so this, it's just fascinating to see it and see how,

76
00:06:52,940 --> 00:07:02,380
how one person can impact, right? Say, take the two sons of Abraham. Right? The first son was

77
00:07:02,380 --> 00:07:08,740
the son of the flesh. We read about him. His name was Ishmael. And did he have his impact on history?

78
00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:13,460
Yeah. We still see Ishmael today. The father of the Arab people.

79
00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:20,319
and what does he do? Just like the Lord told Hagar, his hand will be against every man, even his brothers.

80
00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:31,539
And it's a true story. That's what we see. And then we see Israel today. Right? And they are on the defense, or should I say offense,

81
00:07:32,099 --> 00:07:43,440
they don't have to be on the defense too much because their defender rules from heaven. And so kind of interesting. But what?

82
00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:50,040
what about your life personally? What kind of historical impact are you going to have on your family

83
00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:57,300
or the people around you? I was thinking about the legacy of two men years ago. I'd heard this story

84
00:07:57,300 --> 00:08:05,380
and I was thinking about it and it was about a guy named Charles Templeton. Who's ever heard of

85
00:08:05,380 --> 00:08:13,420
Charles Templeton? Many of you have. And I came across this article that Lee Strollable.

86
00:08:13,420 --> 00:08:21,120
had done when he was doing research for his book, The Case for Faith. And some of you have read

87
00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:26,900
maybe some of Strobel's books. One of his most popular is the case for Christ. They actually

88
00:08:26,900 --> 00:08:31,940
made a movie about a great movie. I do recommend watching that. He was an atheist who was going to

89
00:08:31,940 --> 00:08:39,540
prove that Jesus was a myth. And, you know, anyone we've ever seen that has tried to do that,

90
00:08:39,740 --> 00:08:43,400
it always backfires, right? And he becomes a Christian.

91
00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:51,620
right yeah i mean go down the list josh mcdowell right um what's the other dude's name oh more than a copper

92
00:08:51,620 --> 00:08:58,720
uh no no i'm sorry c s lewis he was another one right they were going to prove that there is no god

93
00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:09,320
and can't be done just say it but this uh this templeton in 1936 at the age of 21 charles templeton

94
00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,380
professed faith in christ for the first time that same

95
00:09:13,380 --> 00:09:20,520
year, he became an evangelist dedicating his life to sharing the good news to anyone who would listen.

96
00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:25,980
In 1945, he met a lengthy 26-year-old evangelist named Billy Graham.

97
00:09:26,740 --> 00:09:27,840
Anybody heard of Billy Graham?

98
00:09:32,340 --> 00:09:38,200
And the two quickly became friends, roaming and ministering together during a 1946

99
00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,620
Youth for Christ evangelistic tour in Europe.

100
00:09:41,620 --> 00:09:49,920
By 1948, Templeton's life and worldview were beginning to go in a different direction from Graham's.

101
00:09:50,960 --> 00:10:01,400
Doubts about the Christian faith were solidifying as he planned to enter Princeton Theological Seminary.

102
00:10:01,839 --> 00:10:07,640
Temple recounted a conversation with Graham prior to entering seminary that fall.

103
00:10:08,300 --> 00:10:11,600
All our differences came to a head in,

104
00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:21,319
a discussion which, better than anything I know, explains Billy Graham and his phenomenal success

105
00:10:21,319 --> 00:10:29,319
as an evangelist in the course of our conversation, I said, but Billy, it's simply not possible

106
00:10:29,319 --> 00:10:35,279
any longer to believe. For instance, the biblical account of creation, the world was not

107
00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:41,579
created over a period of days a few thousand years ago. It was evisement. It was evisement.

108
00:10:41,580 --> 00:10:52,100
over millions of years. It's not a matter of speculation. It's a demonstrable fact. Huh? What had he done?

109
00:10:52,920 --> 00:11:00,380
He'd believed a lie. That's a lie. That's a lie. They teach it as fact. It's not a fact.

110
00:11:01,500 --> 00:11:11,560
Evolution is not a fact. It's not factual at all. In fact, we're kind of past that, even a lot of

111
00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:19,320
of secular scientists believe that there has to be a source of first cause, right? Because

112
00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:29,080
nothing doesn't evolve from nothing. It's just an impossibility. And so Billy says, I don't

113
00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:37,320
accept that, Billy said, and there are reputable scholars who don't. Who are these scholars,

114
00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,540
I said, men in conservative Christian colleges. Most of them, yes,

115
00:11:41,540 --> 00:11:50,500
he said, but that is not the point. I believe the Genesis account of creation because it's in the

116
00:11:50,500 --> 00:11:58,040
Bible. I've discovered something in my ministry. When I take the Bible literally, when I proclaim it as

117
00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:06,660
the word of God, my preaching has power. When I stand on the platform and say God says,

118
00:12:06,660 --> 00:12:11,420
or the Bible says, the Holy Spirit uses me. Thus,

119
00:12:11,420 --> 00:12:19,459
are results. Wiser men than you or I have been arguing questions like this for centuries. I don't have the

120
00:12:19,459 --> 00:12:28,100
time or the intellect to examine all sides on the theological dispute. So I've decided once for all to

121
00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:40,480
stop questioning and accept the Bible as God's word. Right? But Billy, this is Charles, but Billy, I protested,

122
00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:46,660
you cannot do that. You don't dare stop thinking about the most important questions in life.

123
00:12:46,980 --> 00:12:54,279
Do it and you begin to die. It's intellectual suicide. I don't know about anyone else, he said,

124
00:12:54,440 --> 00:13:01,660
but I have decided that's the path for me. And Billy Graham, right? We all know who he is.

125
00:13:01,660 --> 00:13:08,500
In fact, if I just asked for a show of hands, how many people in this room, your life was impacted somehow by Billy Graham?

126
00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:13,259
Right? How many of this room's life's been impacted by Charles Templeton?

127
00:13:14,759 --> 00:13:34,799
Right? That, yeah, the case is closed. The impact that Graham has had by simply putting faith in the God of heaven in his word, right, has impacted history in a much more positive way than somebody who walks around in doubt.

128
00:13:35,799 --> 00:13:38,720
You know, the Bible says that when you pray, pray without doubting.

129
00:13:38,719 --> 00:13:45,279
For he who doubts, it's like water that just gets tossed into and fro with every wind of doctrine.

130
00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:55,099
And so it's interesting that by 1957, Templeton called himself an agnostic.

131
00:13:55,099 --> 00:14:00,919
In 1996, he wrote his memoir, entitling it,

132
00:14:01,239 --> 00:14:04,599
farewell to God, my reason for rejecting the Christian faith.

133
00:14:06,399 --> 00:14:13,659
If you want to read about it, read Lee Strobel's interview with Templeton a couple years before he died.

134
00:14:14,859 --> 00:14:22,479
It's quite fascinating. He had his regrets. Wouldn't you, though? Wouldn't you have your regrets?

135
00:14:24,619 --> 00:14:36,379
But the impact difference of these two lives are powerful. And we'll see that here as we look at these two sons of Joseph. And before we read, let's pray. Father, thank you.

136
00:14:36,379 --> 00:14:47,279
for your word. It's, it leaves us a legacy, Lord, that is actually going to judge us if we don't

137
00:14:47,279 --> 00:14:54,279
heat it. So, Lord, I pray that you would give us your hunger. Give us your spirit that we would hunger

138
00:14:54,279 --> 00:15:00,919
and thirst to know your word and the power of it. Lord, that it speaks so many things to our lives,

139
00:15:00,919 --> 00:15:06,359
Lord, and that we too were making our own historical impact.

140
00:15:06,359 --> 00:15:15,759
Lord as we live our life day in and day out. And so Lord, may that be a true legacy of faith in Christ Jesus.

141
00:15:16,599 --> 00:15:25,099
And one that seems to carry on long after we're gone. And just as we see in Billy Graham's life, Lord.

142
00:15:25,519 --> 00:15:33,099
And so we just, we worship you. We praise you for these little vignettes of scripture that just

143
00:15:33,099 --> 00:15:41,739
reveal that to us in a big way, Lord, and that really, Lord challenges us, Lord. So may we learn,

144
00:15:42,039 --> 00:15:47,339
may we learn from those who have gone before us, Lord, as you tell us in the New Testament that

145
00:15:47,339 --> 00:15:53,259
these times and these people that we read about here in the Old Testament were examples to us,

146
00:15:53,579 --> 00:16:01,259
Lord. So help us to beware and take these examples to heart in Jesus' name. Amen. It says,

147
00:16:01,259 --> 00:16:10,139
So then Joseph, verse 12, brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.

148
00:16:10,519 --> 00:16:12,219
And Joseph took them both.

149
00:16:12,619 --> 00:16:20,639
Etheram with his right hand in Israel, in his left, and Manasseh, excuse me, in his left hand, Manasa,

150
00:16:20,639 --> 00:16:25,139
with his toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near.

151
00:16:25,419 --> 00:16:30,659
And then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger.

152
00:16:30,659 --> 00:16:37,439
and his left hand on Manassah's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manassah was the firstborn,

153
00:16:37,639 --> 00:16:44,419
and he blessed Joseph and said, God, before whom my father's Abraham and Isaac walked,

154
00:16:44,819 --> 00:16:54,079
the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

155
00:16:54,759 --> 00:17:00,639
bless the lads, let my name be named upon them, and the name of my name of my name.

156
00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:07,199
my father is Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

157
00:17:08,459 --> 00:17:10,979
And so you can see the scene.

158
00:17:11,639 --> 00:17:20,459
Joseph comes up, and as he brings his sons up, it's interesting that Joseph bows down.

159
00:17:21,019 --> 00:17:25,039
He's on his face, and he's kind of not really watching what's going on.

160
00:17:25,039 --> 00:17:30,619
And there was a reason that he had, he had Ephraim on his face.

161
00:17:30,619 --> 00:17:36,959
right and that would have gone to Jacob's left hand and he had Manasseh on his left what would have been

162
00:17:36,959 --> 00:17:45,419
going to Jacob's right hand and and Jacob does something funky he crosses his arms like this

163
00:17:45,419 --> 00:17:55,179
and he puts his right hand on the youngest boy. Ephraim and his left hand on the older boy

164
00:17:55,179 --> 00:18:00,599
manasseh and and no doubt Joseph is blessed.

165
00:18:00,599 --> 00:18:08,799
that dad is is touching physically touching his boys that's a powerful thing physical touch right

166
00:18:08,799 --> 00:18:15,179
I love hugging my boys they get a little bit uncomfortable you know there's there's that uh what is

167
00:18:15,179 --> 00:18:22,919
it like a 10 second uncomfortable uh window right so after 10 seconds they go all right dad that's that's enough

168
00:18:22,919 --> 00:18:22,919
right but but i loved and my grandsons i mean i mean i

169
00:18:30,599 --> 00:18:36,459
I can't get enough, right? I love, I love touching them, and it is a blessing to them.

170
00:18:36,459 --> 00:18:42,339
I don't, both my grandpas were just great men that impacted me greatly, but they weren't overly

171
00:18:42,339 --> 00:18:49,679
affectionate. And, and I love the affection that you see in, in the Jewish culture. I mean,

172
00:18:49,679 --> 00:18:56,379
they're so, it's amazing. We pulled into JFK, we were on our way to Africa, and we stopped there,

173
00:18:56,419 --> 00:19:00,579
and the Jewish population, obviously, and New York is pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty,

174
00:19:00,579 --> 00:19:07,559
Prominate. There's a lot of Jewish people in New York. And so this, I've seen this BNW pull up. They also drive really nice cars. They're just saying.

175
00:19:08,859 --> 00:19:29,539
BMW pulls up and these older guys, they both got Yama because it was one old guy. He was, he's quite a bit older than me. He had like this 35, 36 year old son. And he goes, oh, my boy. My boy. I love my boy. And he's sitting there hugging him and patting him, you know. And this kid finally goes, okay, dad. Dad, that's enough, you know. And I was just like, yeah, I like that guy.

176
00:19:29,539 --> 00:19:31,659
I would have fit in that culture.

177
00:19:32,619 --> 00:19:38,679
And so no doubt Joseph is just blessed that his dad is blessing his sons,

178
00:19:38,779 --> 00:19:40,299
but he does this thing.

179
00:19:40,399 --> 00:19:44,859
And as Joseph is worshipping before the Lord, no doubt,

180
00:19:44,979 --> 00:19:48,179
just probably recounting a lot of stuff in his mind,

181
00:19:48,259 --> 00:19:50,119
all the stuff he missed, you know,

182
00:19:50,159 --> 00:19:53,679
and now what God has done, he had reason to worship.

183
00:19:54,539 --> 00:19:55,799
You got reason to worship?

184
00:19:56,820 --> 00:19:58,479
Bro, we got reason to worship.

185
00:19:58,479 --> 00:20:28,479
and and he's just bowed down and he and he's he's he's he's worship

186
00:20:28,479 --> 00:20:36,079
Isaac and you walked with them. What a legacy. Do you have that in your life? As you look back,

187
00:20:36,179 --> 00:20:42,539
maybe it started with you. And this is the history, you're a history maker for those coming after you,

188
00:20:42,619 --> 00:20:54,319
your grandkids and the people who know you. Years ago, I heard of some people who had, who had asked about me

189
00:20:54,319 --> 00:20:58,459
because I was going around doing rodeos and stuff. And they asked this one kid,

190
00:20:58,459 --> 00:21:04,819
kid about me. He goes, I think I know that guy. Isn't he that little short cowboy Jesus freak guy?

191
00:21:06,699 --> 00:21:15,679
Yeah, that's the one. I was kind of, yeah, I got called a Jesus freak. That's cool.

192
00:21:20,139 --> 00:21:24,779
And these boys, no doubt, are just watching all of this going, wow, dad's worshiping. He's

193
00:21:24,779 --> 00:21:31,719
bowing down and grandpa's praying. And he's, he's acknowledging this God who walked not only with

194
00:21:31,719 --> 00:21:38,419
grandpa, but with grandpa's dad and grandpa's grandpa. And that's what, how many generations,

195
00:21:38,419 --> 00:21:47,499
like five or six generations right there. Powerful. And no doubt this had this impact on these

196
00:21:47,499 --> 00:21:54,419
boys. I know my life was impacted by the faith that I saw in my dad and my grandpa.

197
00:21:54,419 --> 00:22:02,199
and so they're kind of in a holy moment there.

198
00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,479
And then he recognizes, he says,

199
00:22:06,159 --> 00:22:11,499
the God who has fed me all my lifelong to this day.

200
00:22:11,899 --> 00:22:13,139
I've never gone without.

201
00:22:14,539 --> 00:22:15,559
God's fed me.

202
00:22:16,899 --> 00:22:21,939
Now, we live in a country where we don't think about that a lot,

203
00:22:21,939 --> 00:22:23,719
but think about this culture back then.

204
00:22:23,719 --> 00:22:25,839
And sometimes that was your whole life.

205
00:22:26,339 --> 00:22:31,159
All your energy was expended by just sustaining life.

206
00:22:32,219 --> 00:22:32,379
Right?

207
00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:35,519
Think about Jacob, there were 75 of them.

208
00:22:35,579 --> 00:22:39,519
How much food would 75 people consume every day?

209
00:22:40,819 --> 00:22:42,319
It's just unthinkable.

210
00:22:43,219 --> 00:22:44,659
How much.

211
00:22:45,559 --> 00:22:48,099
And yet God always provides.

212
00:22:48,219 --> 00:22:49,279
I love this Psalm.

213
00:22:49,379 --> 00:22:53,179
It talks about this in Psalm chapter 37, verse 25.

214
00:22:53,179 --> 00:22:57,919
it says, I have been young, the psalmist's right, and am now old.

215
00:22:58,379 --> 00:23:03,299
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.

216
00:23:04,559 --> 00:23:07,379
God takes care of his people, right?

217
00:23:07,919 --> 00:23:09,319
Remember when they were in the wilderness?

218
00:23:09,939 --> 00:23:11,919
He rained bread down from heaven.

219
00:23:12,819 --> 00:23:14,299
God will take care of us.

220
00:23:15,759 --> 00:23:16,819
No matter what.

221
00:23:17,719 --> 00:23:22,019
No matter who wins Tuesday, God's going to take care of us, right?

222
00:23:22,319 --> 00:23:24,099
There might be all kinds of food shortages.

223
00:23:24,519 --> 00:23:25,619
Praise God, we live in Idaho.

224
00:23:28,279 --> 00:23:30,599
Right, we got spud cellars and beet piles.

225
00:23:30,939 --> 00:23:32,099
We could live on sugar beets.

226
00:23:35,039 --> 00:23:38,939
Magic Valley is dry bean capital of the world.

227
00:23:40,159 --> 00:23:41,059
Just go with me.

228
00:23:41,099 --> 00:23:43,019
We can go get several hundred pounds of dry beans.

229
00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:44,099
We're in good shape.

230
00:23:45,139 --> 00:23:46,039
Nothing to fear.

231
00:23:46,739 --> 00:23:46,919
Right?

232
00:23:47,379 --> 00:23:50,039
Thirdly, he says, you have redeemed me from evil.

233
00:23:51,199 --> 00:23:58,219
I look back at my life and all the time that God redeemed me from doing evil, right?

234
00:23:58,519 --> 00:23:59,419
He got a hold to me.

235
00:23:59,459 --> 00:24:01,339
I mean, really got to hold me when I was 23.

236
00:24:01,939 --> 00:24:06,579
From 23 to 62, do you know how much evil I haven't done?

237
00:24:09,179 --> 00:24:10,219
Because of Jesus?

238
00:24:11,379 --> 00:24:12,359
How about you?

239
00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:16,199
Because I know what I'm capable of.

240
00:24:16,579 --> 00:24:20,059
Please don't ever forget that about yourself, knowing what you're capable of.

241
00:24:20,439 --> 00:24:22,439
I'm just thinking, good gracious.

242
00:24:24,619 --> 00:24:27,379
I think I've told you they asked my youngest daughter one time

243
00:24:27,379 --> 00:24:31,879
what she thought their dad would be without Jesus.

244
00:24:32,179 --> 00:24:36,659
And she goes, oh, he'd probably have 10 or 12 kids by five or six different women.

245
00:24:38,499 --> 00:24:39,359
I looked at it.

246
00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:45,739
I said, it sounds quite a bit, it's easier for me to take when I say that,

247
00:24:45,899 --> 00:24:47,239
but coming from my daughter.

248
00:24:47,239 --> 00:24:53,539
but he's redeemed us.

249
00:24:54,279 --> 00:24:56,619
And Jacob is recounting all of this.

250
00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:00,379
Next, he says,

251
00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,819
I forgot where I'm at.

252
00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:09,299
He says, oh yeah.

253
00:25:09,999 --> 00:25:14,599
He says, let my name and Abraham's name

254
00:25:14,599 --> 00:25:16,779
and Isaac's name be upon them.

255
00:25:16,779 --> 00:25:24,119
these guys, Jacob is praying a blessing of God upon Ephraim and Manassah

256
00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:29,479
that will be connected to the Father of Faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

257
00:25:29,699 --> 00:25:32,339
and God's people, Israel, right?

258
00:25:33,179 --> 00:25:38,299
And then fifthly, multiply them and grow them into a multitude.

259
00:25:39,539 --> 00:25:45,019
And so he's blessing them, he's praying for them to multiply.

260
00:25:45,019 --> 00:25:49,099
and at this point, it's interesting, Joseph noticed something.

261
00:25:49,659 --> 00:25:55,159
Verse 17. Now, when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim,

262
00:25:55,379 --> 00:26:01,419
it displeased him. So he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to

263
00:26:01,419 --> 00:26:08,119
Manassas' head. And Joseph said to his father, not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn,

264
00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:14,779
but your right hand is on his head. Is not the firstborn, excuse me. But his father

265
00:26:14,779 --> 00:26:23,079
refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people and he shall also be great,

266
00:26:23,079 --> 00:26:29,719
but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his descendants shall become a multitude

267
00:26:29,719 --> 00:26:36,539
of nations. And so he's thinking, you got it wrong. Now, this is the firstborn. This is,

268
00:26:36,539 --> 00:26:44,719
dad, you're kind of losing it here, right? And, but it's prophetic. It's prophetic of what is

269
00:26:44,719 --> 00:26:55,039
going to become of these two boys. Now the right hand, the right hand in scripture is a, is a symbol of power

270
00:26:55,039 --> 00:27:03,279
and blessing, right? Psalm 168 says, I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right

271
00:27:03,279 --> 00:27:09,719
hand. I shall not be moved. Only, I think it's only 10% of people are left handed. Now, I know that

272
00:27:09,719 --> 00:27:16,059
that people that are left-handed are brilliant, okay, just saying, just so you know, they say actually

273
00:27:16,059 --> 00:27:25,559
they're usually smarter, but there's more right-handed people. So, I shall not be moved.

274
00:27:25,559 --> 00:27:32,039
Psalm 1611 says, you will show me the path of life in your presence is the fullness of joy.

275
00:27:32,219 --> 00:27:39,599
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore, right? And so that's why he put his right hand.

276
00:27:39,599 --> 00:27:47,619
upon the younger son. He had the place of preeminence, which overruled the position of the firstborn

277
00:27:47,619 --> 00:27:56,279
of prominence. And so he became preeminent and prominent. Ephraim did. And you remember when

278
00:27:56,279 --> 00:28:04,539
Jacob was naming his son Benjamin. And so Rachel, because of her sorrow, she was going to name

279
00:28:04,539 --> 00:28:09,399
him son of my sorrow. And Jacob goes, oh no, he's going to be son of my right hand.

280
00:28:09,399 --> 00:28:13,199
Benjamin, that's what it means. Son of my right hand.

281
00:28:14,399 --> 00:28:16,319
Isaiah chapter 40, verse 10 says,

282
00:28:16,439 --> 00:28:21,339
Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

283
00:28:21,459 --> 00:28:27,879
I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

284
00:28:28,679 --> 00:28:32,639
Right? I like that. That's cool.

285
00:28:34,199 --> 00:28:39,379
And then finally, we see Jesus, right? He comes and he,

286
00:28:39,379 --> 00:28:47,979
does his deed for us, you know, accomplishes the joy that was set before him by going to the cross,

287
00:28:48,059 --> 00:28:54,479
the death of the cross, the scripture tells us, right? And then he rose and he set down at the right

288
00:28:54,479 --> 00:29:07,299
hand of the father, that place of power and strength and blessing. And so Jacob was, uh,

289
00:29:07,299 --> 00:29:11,479
was giving this blessing to this boy.

290
00:29:12,259 --> 00:29:13,859
And it concerned Joseph.

291
00:29:14,539 --> 00:29:18,959
And no doubt he seemed to receive it.

292
00:29:19,559 --> 00:29:23,639
And so here we have Ephraim, the prominent one, and then Manasseh.

293
00:29:23,799 --> 00:29:27,639
But as you look at their lives, God did just what he promised.

294
00:29:28,619 --> 00:29:33,019
He adopted them, we had talked about last time, right, as Rubin and Simeon,

295
00:29:33,019 --> 00:29:37,279
that they would be named with Israel, with the nation of Israel, their name.

296
00:29:37,279 --> 00:29:44,239
and he says, yeah, Manassah's going to be great. In fact, Manasse had more land than anybody.

297
00:29:44,479 --> 00:29:47,839
Because you remember when they were getting ready to cross over into the promised land,

298
00:29:48,219 --> 00:29:55,099
Manasseh stayed on the east side of the Jordan, half the tribe. The other half of the tribe went across.

299
00:29:55,399 --> 00:30:01,239
So when you look at a map of the tribes of Israel and the ground that they had, Manassah had more than anything.

300
00:30:01,839 --> 00:30:07,259
And so God was truthful in that he blessed Manassah. It had the largest territory.

301
00:30:07,259 --> 00:30:15,039
And they stayed there on the east side of the Jordan because they saw that the grazing was incredible for their livestock.

302
00:30:16,239 --> 00:30:32,239
And so then they, we see them also, and that's when they were kind of, what do I want to call it, negotiating there with Joshua.

303
00:30:32,679 --> 00:30:36,559
Joshua, when he led him across, he was going to, he said, what are you doing?

304
00:30:36,959 --> 00:30:38,199
How come you guys ain't going across?

305
00:30:38,639 --> 00:30:39,559
Are we going to have to kill you?

306
00:30:40,199 --> 00:30:41,259
And they say, oh, no, no, no, no.

307
00:30:41,679 --> 00:30:43,459
We'll send troops.

308
00:30:43,579 --> 00:30:45,579
We'll help you when you guys come to battle.

309
00:30:45,579 --> 00:30:54,259
But you can stay there as long as you promised that you're going to come and you'll fight with us and for us.

310
00:30:54,399 --> 00:30:59,679
The most prominent person from Manasseh that we see is in the time of the judges was Gideon.

311
00:31:00,299 --> 00:31:00,499
Right?

312
00:31:01,059 --> 00:31:03,559
Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh.

313
00:31:03,639 --> 00:31:06,799
We know Gideon's faith there to go to battle.

314
00:31:06,799 --> 00:31:12,619
God had called him to go to battle against the Midianites, and he delivered Israel through the man Gideon.

315
00:31:12,919 --> 00:31:19,399
And then we see the daughters of Zalofahad, right? Some of you remember that. They didn't have any

316
00:31:19,399 --> 00:31:25,259
inheritance in the Lord. Moses said, well, I need to go to the Lord. This is a first case of women's rights in the Bible.

317
00:31:26,119 --> 00:31:36,299
Right? And so in the book of numbers, they petitioned, and God says, no, you need to grant those girls, the ground. The inheritance.

318
00:31:36,299 --> 00:31:38,379
that comes from Manassah.

319
00:31:39,599 --> 00:31:41,439
The last time we see Manassah mentioned

320
00:31:41,439 --> 00:31:42,839
is in the book of Revelation.

321
00:31:43,239 --> 00:31:43,899
That's kind of cool.

322
00:31:44,559 --> 00:31:45,579
There's 12,000 of them.

323
00:31:46,139 --> 00:31:46,939
The Manassahites.

324
00:31:47,579 --> 00:31:48,619
I guess that's how you say it.

325
00:31:49,519 --> 00:31:49,759
Right?

326
00:31:49,819 --> 00:31:52,179
But it's listed there in the book of Revelation

327
00:31:52,179 --> 00:31:54,359
in chapter 7 that they are part

328
00:31:54,359 --> 00:31:55,979
of the 144,000.

329
00:31:57,059 --> 00:32:00,299
So there's Manasa, but he's less than Ephraim.

330
00:32:01,359 --> 00:32:04,119
So Ephraim was prominent, right?

331
00:32:04,219 --> 00:32:06,279
Deuteronomy chapter 33, 17.

332
00:32:06,279 --> 00:32:12,699
says, his glory is like a first-born bull and his horns like the horns of a wild oxen.

333
00:32:13,059 --> 00:32:16,979
Together with them, he shall push the peoples to the ends of the earth.

334
00:32:17,279 --> 00:32:22,139
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manassah.

335
00:32:22,819 --> 00:32:25,579
Ten thousands of Ephraim, thousands of Manassah.

336
00:32:25,859 --> 00:32:30,779
So the prophecy that Jacob is speaking here, we see it.

337
00:32:30,799 --> 00:32:35,619
It came true of what he was speaking about these two boys.

338
00:32:35,619 --> 00:32:40,419
And then we notice the people that come from Ephra.

339
00:32:41,059 --> 00:32:46,719
It's kind of the who's who among some of the patriarchs.

340
00:32:47,379 --> 00:32:50,019
Joshua, the forerunner to Jesus.

341
00:32:50,399 --> 00:32:57,299
In fact, he is such a type of Jesus in that he led the children of Israel into the promised land,

342
00:32:57,859 --> 00:33:00,959
into the spirit-filled Christian life, if you will.

343
00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:05,599
Joshua, Jehovah is salvation is what he's.

344
00:33:05,599 --> 00:33:13,099
name means. It's equivalent to Jesus, this Joshua. And he was from the tribe of Ephraim.

345
00:33:14,539 --> 00:33:19,019
And it's interesting that Joshua could lead the children of Israel into the promised land,

346
00:33:19,299 --> 00:33:23,079
into the spirit-filled Christian life. I hope you know what I'm talking about. If you don't,

347
00:33:23,139 --> 00:33:27,519
please come and talk to me later. But because Moses couldn't,

348
00:33:28,459 --> 00:33:34,879
Moses could not lead the people into the spirit-filled Christian life, which is pictured in the

349
00:33:34,879 --> 00:33:40,659
promised land. The law can't do that for you. The Bible says the law can't make anybody righteous or

350
00:33:40,659 --> 00:33:52,259
right with God. Only Joshua can. Right? And so here's this son of Ephraim, Joshua, the forerunner to Jesus.

351
00:33:53,059 --> 00:33:58,059
And then probably one of the most stellar judges that we see in the time of the judges,

352
00:33:58,059 --> 00:34:03,819
and that's the last judge, Samuel. Samuel, Elkanah, was from the tribe of Ephraim.

353
00:34:03,819 --> 00:34:15,539
it's it's almost like god had a plan for these ephraimites right but something terrible happened

354
00:34:15,539 --> 00:34:23,999
ephraim in the north which was the largest populous populated tribe in the north they turned idol worship

355
00:34:23,999 --> 00:34:32,219
you guys remember jerobo made a couple golden calves caused the people of Israel to to worship falsely

356
00:34:32,219 --> 00:34:45,659
and Ephraim began to stumble and begin to the Bible calls it he began to play the whore that was unfaithful to the God of heaven.

357
00:34:48,879 --> 00:34:51,859
And I see people like that all the time in the church.

358
00:34:52,979 --> 00:34:54,339
They're playing the harlot.

359
00:34:55,739 --> 00:34:57,799
Oh, they'll come and they'll name the name of Jesus.

360
00:34:58,339 --> 00:35:00,919
And then they go live like hell, right?

361
00:35:01,619 --> 00:35:05,239
and expect God to bless them with the blessing from heaven.

362
00:35:06,019 --> 00:35:08,499
It doesn't work that way, right?

363
00:35:10,439 --> 00:35:14,539
Ephraim didn't forsake the idols of Israel.

364
00:35:14,539 --> 00:35:18,399
He led them astray.

365
00:35:22,039 --> 00:35:25,599
And then we see, it's interesting, that Shiloh,

366
00:35:26,919 --> 00:35:31,219
Shiloh, where Samuel grew up, where the priest was Eli, is in Ephra.

367
00:35:31,219 --> 00:35:38,239
Ephraim. Shiloh was a place of the tabernacle. That's where the Lord dwelt. And you remember because of

368
00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:44,979
Eli's sons and how corrupt everything had become, it says during Samuel's life that the glory

369
00:35:44,979 --> 00:35:51,459
departed. They called the place Iqabad, meaning that the glory of the Lord had departed because of the

370
00:35:51,459 --> 00:36:01,199
wickedness in Ephraim. Yesterday, my wife and I were driving down the road. We're, we're

371
00:36:01,199 --> 00:36:07,919
going to get a calf. My wife's a cattle baron now. She was the chicken baron of Bonneville County.

372
00:36:08,039 --> 00:36:13,259
Now she's a cattle baron. So we're going to go get this cat. I said, well, you need to read to me,

373
00:36:13,259 --> 00:36:19,799
honey. Read the, read the. So she reads Hosea to me. Hosea chapter 8. It was in our hang-on Bible reading.

374
00:36:19,799 --> 00:36:24,759
This is what it says. It's for, for they have gone up to Assyria, speaking of Ephraim,

375
00:36:24,859 --> 00:36:30,859
like a wild donkey alone by itself. Ephraim has hired lovers. Yes,

376
00:36:30,859 --> 00:36:33,679
though they have hired among the nations,

377
00:36:34,099 --> 00:36:35,919
now I will gather them,

378
00:36:36,119 --> 00:36:38,639
and they shall sorrow a little

379
00:36:38,639 --> 00:36:41,779
because of the burden of the king of princes,

380
00:36:42,159 --> 00:36:46,319
because Ephraim has made many altars for sin,

381
00:36:46,559 --> 00:36:50,439
and they have become to him altars for sinning.

382
00:36:56,079 --> 00:36:57,359
And you wonder,

383
00:36:58,359 --> 00:37:00,839
if Ephraim would have found,

384
00:37:00,839 --> 00:37:08,539
followed the Lord wholeheartedly. What kind of historical story would we be reading right now?

385
00:37:08,979 --> 00:37:17,299
We don't know. But something is fascinating. The scripture has always, always fascinated me.

386
00:37:18,439 --> 00:37:24,099
Would he been more involved in the process of the coming of the Messiah?

387
00:37:24,859 --> 00:37:30,039
Would Ephraim have been able to take more of a part of that, of the Messiah coming?

388
00:37:30,039 --> 00:37:36,839
there, like I said, there's this scripture that absolutely fascinates me. It's found in Psalm 78.

389
00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:46,299
If you got a Bible, turn there and kind of underline it. Psalm 78, verses 67 and 68, it says,

390
00:37:46,959 --> 00:37:54,999
moreover, and you can read through the whole chapter, it's recounting the calling of Israel out of, out of Egypt,

391
00:37:54,999 --> 00:38:00,019
and then it's talking about where Ephraim had gone astray, playing the,

392
00:38:00,019 --> 00:38:07,899
harlot and worshipping other gods. But it says in verse 67, moreover, he rejected the tent of Joseph

393
00:38:07,899 --> 00:38:16,119
and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. For what? Maybe to put his name, the tabernacle was already

394
00:38:16,119 --> 00:38:29,279
there in Shiloh. And Shiloh can be a reference to Messiah. But he,

395
00:38:29,279 --> 00:38:35,759
he rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, listen, but chose,

396
00:38:35,759 --> 00:38:40,339
verse 68, the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved.

397
00:38:41,679 --> 00:38:45,759
That's where God eventually chose to put his name, and it's forever.

398
00:38:46,619 --> 00:38:50,599
And then from Judah would come the messianic line through King David.

399
00:38:55,099 --> 00:38:57,599
I think Ephra missed a big time blessing.

400
00:38:57,599 --> 00:38:59,799
Well, I know this.

401
00:39:00,619 --> 00:39:04,119
Anyone who doesn't walk with Jesus misses a big time blessing.

402
00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:05,259
Right?

403
00:39:05,739 --> 00:39:12,739
Anyone who doesn't walk with Jesus misses a big time blessing.

404
00:39:13,439 --> 00:39:20,479
Lastly, as we look at Ephraim, he's not in the list in Romans 7, or excuse me, Revelation

405
00:39:20,479 --> 00:39:21,139
Chapter 7.

406
00:39:22,059 --> 00:39:22,799
Ephraim's not there.

407
00:39:23,799 --> 00:39:24,439
Joseph is.

408
00:39:25,439 --> 00:39:27,419
Joseph in Manasseh, it says.

409
00:39:27,419 --> 00:39:28,639
not Ephraim.

410
00:39:29,159 --> 00:39:31,319
There's another tribe not there,

411
00:39:31,519 --> 00:39:32,299
the tribe of Dan,

412
00:39:32,499 --> 00:39:34,439
which was also guilty of the same things

413
00:39:34,439 --> 00:39:35,499
that Ephraim was guilty of.

414
00:39:37,079 --> 00:39:38,499
They forfeited a lot

415
00:39:38,499 --> 00:39:42,159
by this false worship,

416
00:39:42,759 --> 00:39:45,239
by not being sincere

417
00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:46,339
before the God of heaven.

418
00:39:47,139 --> 00:39:49,039
And yet God had blessed them, right?

419
00:39:49,279 --> 00:39:51,559
Here's Jacob having his hands on him,

420
00:39:51,559 --> 00:39:52,619
blessing them.

421
00:39:52,619 --> 00:40:00,719
how much have we missed?

422
00:40:01,659 --> 00:40:02,979
Just because of our sin.

423
00:40:03,899 --> 00:40:10,139
Whether selfishness or pursuing the wrong things in this life,

424
00:40:11,339 --> 00:40:15,359
not giving Jesus that preeminence in our lives,

425
00:40:15,879 --> 00:40:18,159
I think you always play second fiddle.

426
00:40:19,539 --> 00:40:21,399
But when you give it all to him,

427
00:40:21,959 --> 00:40:23,759
Just like the scripture tells us, right?

428
00:40:24,319 --> 00:40:26,459
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

429
00:40:26,839 --> 00:40:28,479
All these things will be added unto you.

430
00:40:29,099 --> 00:40:33,019
Have you noticed that material things just can't do it?

431
00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:36,499
You can have all kinds of stuff.

432
00:40:37,419 --> 00:40:38,539
A lot of stuff.

433
00:40:39,039 --> 00:40:42,539
Stuff is just, man, what a pain.

434
00:40:44,119 --> 00:40:49,339
God, you maintain stuff and fix stuff and build stuff and stuff, man.

435
00:40:50,539 --> 00:40:52,839
No wonder Abraham lived in a tent.

436
00:40:58,839 --> 00:40:59,719
Or pleasure.

437
00:40:59,819 --> 00:41:00,739
Just chasing after it.

438
00:41:00,739 --> 00:41:01,459
Oh, this is fun.

439
00:41:01,759 --> 00:41:02,539
This is so fun.

440
00:41:03,199 --> 00:41:05,379
The Bible says there is pleasure and sin for a season,

441
00:41:05,539 --> 00:41:06,539
but it's only a season.

442
00:41:08,439 --> 00:41:08,939
Right?

443
00:41:09,139 --> 00:41:14,179
And then the birds come home to roost, right?

444
00:41:14,359 --> 00:41:16,179
And you're shackled and you're enslaved.

445
00:41:18,839 --> 00:41:20,519
And he goes on with the blue.

446
00:41:20,519 --> 00:41:29,679
blessing. And so he blessed them that day, saying, by you, this is Ephraim and Manassah, by you, Israel will

447
00:41:29,679 --> 00:41:37,199
bless saying, may God make you as Ephraim and Manassah. And thus he set Ephraim before Manassah,

448
00:41:37,559 --> 00:41:44,939
knowing that they are both going to be extremely populated and fruitful, and that they were

449
00:41:44,939 --> 00:41:50,499
be named with Israel. And many times, after the splitting of the kingdoms, you guys, some of

450
00:41:50,499 --> 00:41:56,559
of you who have read that just recently when the kingdom was united under Saul, under David,

451
00:41:56,719 --> 00:42:01,719
and under Solomon. Solomon's son, Rehoboam, comes on the scene and the kingdom is divided.

452
00:42:02,059 --> 00:42:09,279
There's north and there's south. South is called Judah. North is called Joseph, Ephraim, or Israel.

453
00:42:09,279 --> 00:42:17,819
Those three names are tagged onto the northern part of the kingdom. And then Ezekiel talks about

454
00:42:17,819 --> 00:42:23,119
the stick of Joseph and Judah coming back together and becoming one.

455
00:42:23,659 --> 00:42:26,359
Now our Mormons friends think that's Joseph Smith.

456
00:42:26,699 --> 00:42:27,119
Not.

457
00:42:30,299 --> 00:42:30,839
Right?

458
00:42:31,559 --> 00:42:32,539
It's Ezekiel 37.

459
00:42:32,799 --> 00:42:34,819
It's talking about Joseph and Judah coming back together.

460
00:42:35,099 --> 00:42:36,279
Israel becoming one again.

461
00:42:36,379 --> 00:42:37,699
That's what we see today.

462
00:42:38,639 --> 00:42:42,959
And that was fulfilled on May 14th, 1948 when Israel became a nation again.

463
00:42:45,499 --> 00:42:47,639
But that's what the northern kingdom was called.

464
00:42:47,639 --> 00:42:53,639
was Ephraim or Joseph or Israel.

465
00:42:54,339 --> 00:42:58,519
And that was the name that Israel himself put on these two boys.

466
00:42:59,959 --> 00:43:03,959
And in verse 20, and so, excuse me, verse 21,

467
00:43:04,119 --> 00:43:07,459
then Israel said to Joseph, behold, I am dying.

468
00:43:07,759 --> 00:43:10,959
He shifts gears from the blessing to his son, Joseph.

469
00:43:10,959 --> 00:43:13,219
He says, Joseph, behold, I am dying.

470
00:43:13,679 --> 00:43:17,579
But God will be with you and bring you back.

471
00:43:17,579 --> 00:43:19,259
to the land of your fathers.

472
00:43:19,559 --> 00:43:21,039
So he prophesized to his son.

473
00:43:21,419 --> 00:43:23,419
Son, this is what's going to happen, right?

474
00:43:23,819 --> 00:43:25,279
God's going to bring you back to the land,

475
00:43:25,579 --> 00:43:26,519
the land of promise.

476
00:43:27,039 --> 00:43:28,339
You're going to go back to Canaan.

477
00:43:29,419 --> 00:43:32,199
But not until over 350 years pass.

478
00:43:32,879 --> 00:43:33,339
Right?

479
00:43:33,639 --> 00:43:36,479
And they take the bones of Joseph back

480
00:43:36,479 --> 00:43:38,059
when they leave the promised land.

481
00:43:42,399 --> 00:43:43,659
I love God's word.

482
00:43:44,539 --> 00:43:44,779
Right?

483
00:43:46,879 --> 00:43:55,379
It so nails things, it fulfills things, and you read it and it tells the future before it happens.

484
00:43:55,799 --> 00:43:58,099
That's why it's so powerful.

485
00:43:58,239 --> 00:44:06,899
That's why it's alive and sharper than any two-edged sword is because it truly deals with the issues of the heart, of your heart and mind.

486
00:44:07,539 --> 00:44:11,239
No doubt, Joseph wondered what is going to happen in the future, right?

487
00:44:11,319 --> 00:44:11,819
Here I am.

488
00:44:11,819 --> 00:44:16,859
I've been in Egypt, you know, for now going on, what, over 30 years.

489
00:44:16,859 --> 00:44:19,379
no God's going to take you back.

490
00:44:20,899 --> 00:44:22,379
You wonder what God's going to do with you?

491
00:44:22,779 --> 00:44:25,139
If the Lord tarries, what's the Lord going to do with us?

492
00:44:25,699 --> 00:44:25,859
Right?

493
00:44:26,179 --> 00:44:30,099
Now we don't know he should kill all of us, right?

494
00:44:30,279 --> 00:44:31,979
And give us what we deserve, but he doesn't.

495
00:44:31,979 --> 00:44:33,199
No, he's got a plan.

496
00:44:33,859 --> 00:44:35,439
In spite of your failure.

497
00:44:36,499 --> 00:44:37,439
God's got a plan.

498
00:44:37,839 --> 00:44:39,839
God is making your history.

499
00:44:40,839 --> 00:44:44,039
The question is, are you allowing him to make it good?

500
00:44:45,379 --> 00:44:48,139
Or are you dead set on making it evil?

501
00:44:50,259 --> 00:44:52,799
Because these two boys had an opportunity.

502
00:44:52,799 --> 00:44:56,939
And at hindsight, it seems Manasse did a little better than Ephraim.

503
00:45:02,499 --> 00:45:09,959
Now, what's interesting, right, when he says, by you, there back in verse 20,

504
00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:15,279
by you Israel will bless saying, may God make you as Ephraim and Manassah, the Jews

505
00:45:15,279 --> 00:45:24,919
took this and they basically enshrined it, right? And to this very day, Jewish fathers will say to their

506
00:45:24,919 --> 00:45:32,359
kids on Friday evenings, right, the eve of Shabbat, the eve of the Sabbath. It's a beautiful

507
00:45:32,359 --> 00:45:42,279
celebration in Jewish homes. It is begun as the two candles are lit by the mother as she welcomes

508
00:45:42,279 --> 00:45:51,519
the Sabbath with her prayers. The hardworking day is over. The week is over. It's a time of rest for the family.

509
00:45:51,519 --> 00:45:58,819
And they say when you're in Israel on Sabbath, man, it looks like a ghost town. Right? And they take it seriously.

510
00:45:59,419 --> 00:46:12,259
And she brings, obviously with these candles, she brings them in the Sabbath. Then the father, it's interesting, the father reads Proverbs 31 to his wife, blessing her,

511
00:46:12,259 --> 00:46:14,439
in the name of the Lord as the virtuous woman.

512
00:46:14,879 --> 00:46:16,379
Then he says to his children,

513
00:46:16,939 --> 00:46:21,419
may God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh, a beautiful celebration.

514
00:46:21,639 --> 00:46:24,199
They still celebrate that today, right?

515
00:46:27,919 --> 00:46:36,219
And yet, I'll bet probably less than half of them know the history of Ephraim and Manasseh.

516
00:46:36,219 --> 00:46:48,119
And so we're all in process, right, of making this history.

517
00:46:49,259 --> 00:46:56,779
Right, like Billy Graham and Charles Templeton, what impact will you have, right, on your family,

518
00:46:57,259 --> 00:47:01,259
on your community, on the place where you work, people that know you.

519
00:47:01,719 --> 00:47:03,899
I love connecting people.

520
00:47:03,899 --> 00:47:06,159
I was just talked to some kids the other day going,

521
00:47:06,159 --> 00:47:12,959
hey, do you know this guy and this guy and this guy? And I love pedigrees. I just, I like finding out

522
00:47:12,959 --> 00:47:20,899
pedigrees, how, you know, how far people go back and, and what their stories are. And as I get to know,

523
00:47:20,999 --> 00:47:26,199
brothers and sisters, I love to hear their, their stories of faith, how they came to faith,

524
00:47:26,199 --> 00:47:33,439
what their, what their spiritual heritage is like, you know, because I used to think I never had a spiritual

525
00:47:33,439 --> 00:47:39,239
heritage. But as I grew and as I got saved and I start looking back, I thought, oh, I got all kinds

526
00:47:39,239 --> 00:47:44,559
of a spiritual heritage. There was people praying for me, right? There was grandma's praying for me.

527
00:47:45,099 --> 00:47:53,039
There was no doubt other people that my grandma had sicked on me praying for me, right? And so it is

528
00:47:53,039 --> 00:48:00,239
with you, many of you. People are praying for you that you don't even know about, you know. I've got a

529
00:48:00,239 --> 00:48:03,419
prayer list in the back of my Bible. And by each name, you know, I'm going to be a prayer list. And by each name,

530
00:48:03,419 --> 00:48:04,739
I have a plus sign.

531
00:48:05,479 --> 00:48:12,499
And the plus sign is the person that is connected to that person that I know their name.

532
00:48:12,919 --> 00:48:19,639
It can be an uncle, a friend, a wife, a child, a grandma, a grandpa that is connected to that

533
00:48:19,639 --> 00:48:20,058
person.

534
00:48:20,058 --> 00:48:22,359
And my prayer list just exploded.

535
00:48:22,879 --> 00:48:24,979
It's exhausting to go through it.

536
00:48:27,078 --> 00:48:29,479
But that's how God works, right?

537
00:48:30,139 --> 00:48:33,699
Those people that are building a history of faith.

538
00:48:34,459 --> 00:48:34,699
Right?

539
00:48:34,739 --> 00:48:39,219
It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger and more impactful and more impactful.

540
00:48:42,219 --> 00:48:44,338
I think Tuesday is going to be a history maker.

541
00:48:45,058 --> 00:48:46,199
For good or evil?

542
00:48:46,518 --> 00:48:47,379
We don't know.

543
00:48:47,459 --> 00:48:49,359
That's why we better stay on our knees, right?

544
00:48:49,899 --> 00:48:50,139
Amen?

545
00:48:50,778 --> 00:48:51,078
Amen.

546
00:48:53,439 --> 00:48:54,639
I don't know about you.

547
00:48:54,639 --> 00:49:00,078
But looking at Charles and Billy, I just soon leave the history, have a history like Billy

548
00:49:00,079 --> 00:49:06,139
right absolutely incredible his grandson was here just this this this year right

549
00:49:06,139 --> 00:49:13,579
preaching the gospel what a legacy what a history of faith right and the world is changed

550
00:49:13,579 --> 00:49:19,279
because of it and that's what we're called to let's pray father thank you for this day

551
00:49:19,279 --> 00:49:27,419
and Lord just how you work so intricately and and detailed in the lives of your people

552
00:49:27,419 --> 00:49:34,159
and Lord, especially those people who truly walk with you by faith,

553
00:49:34,719 --> 00:49:38,239
even though you've blessed so many more that have abandoned you

554
00:49:38,239 --> 00:49:42,379
and forsaken the true God and worshiped idols.

555
00:49:43,159 --> 00:49:45,119
Lord, I pray that wouldn't be true of us.

556
00:49:45,999 --> 00:49:48,359
And if it is true of some right now in this room,

557
00:49:48,759 --> 00:49:50,919
and you just need to get right before the Lord,

558
00:49:51,318 --> 00:49:53,058
and to put those things behind you

559
00:49:53,058 --> 00:49:55,039
and put the Lord Jesus in front of you

560
00:49:55,039 --> 00:49:57,399
as your pursuit and as your desire,

561
00:49:57,399 --> 00:50:00,699
as the one who you want to be like and emulate.

562
00:50:01,699 --> 00:50:03,599
I pray that you would do that even today.

563
00:50:05,099 --> 00:50:07,619
Just seek God's forgiveness.

564
00:50:07,859 --> 00:50:09,439
Humble yourself in the side of the Lord.

565
00:50:09,679 --> 00:50:11,359
He tells us and he will lift us up.

566
00:50:12,439 --> 00:50:13,959
And we will be on our way

567
00:50:13,959 --> 00:50:17,099
to leaving a legacy and a history of faith

568
00:50:17,099 --> 00:50:20,778
that only Jesus can do in the life of a surrendered soul.

569
00:50:21,578 --> 00:50:24,558
Lord, help us to surrender to you in these times.

570
00:50:25,119 --> 00:50:27,379
Lord, we lift up these next few days.

571
00:50:27,379 --> 00:50:34,538
days, Lord, in the craziness in our country, Lord, with the voting and those who are protesting voting

572
00:50:34,538 --> 00:50:41,578
already, Lord, on both sides. And yet you'll make sense of it all. You'll line it all out.

573
00:50:41,879 --> 00:50:49,199
Even if it's judgment, Lord, you're sovereign and you're going to make it all work. And it will be

574
00:50:49,199 --> 00:50:55,078
something that we look back on and we praise you for, or that we may look back on it and groan.

575
00:50:55,079 --> 00:50:59,459
and I just pray that we would learn from history, Lord,

576
00:50:59,519 --> 00:51:04,419
that we wouldn't be like those fools who do the same thing over and over again

577
00:51:04,419 --> 00:51:07,119
and never learn anything, Lord.

578
00:51:07,499 --> 00:51:11,239
And so would you go before us and lead us by your Holy Spirit?

579
00:51:11,739 --> 00:51:15,259
Lord, fill our hearts with your goodness, with your love, with your truth.

580
00:51:15,819 --> 00:51:18,459
And may we be proclaimers of it until you come.

581
00:51:19,039 --> 00:51:21,839
And Lord, we just, we agree with the Apostle John.

582
00:51:21,839 --> 00:51:24,539
Even so, come quickly in Jesus' name.

583
00:51:24,539 --> 00:51:25,319
Amen.